Method of manufacturing staple fiber



L. s. FRYER METHOD OF MANUFACTURING STAPLE FIBER Feb. 15, 1944,

Filed April 11, 1941 Snvcntor Lou/s S. F RYE/P Gttomeg v Patented Feb. ,115, 1944 Louis S. Fryer, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, a corporation of Delaware Ohio,

, Application April 11, 1941, Serial No.'388,124

9 claims.

yThis invention relates to a method of manufacturing staple liber adapted to be formed into a novel yarn. Among other things, the invention involves-simultaneously producing a plurality of multiple filament thread bundles possessing diverse physical characteristics; reducing the thread bundles', preferably loosely aggregated, to fibers of staple length; drying the resulting f1- bers; and finally blending them so that the dissimilar features of the component fibers cooperate to produce a novel effect. Yarns spun from fibers so produced possess characteristics virtually unobtainable by ordinary procedures.

Whereas according to conventional methods of mixing fibers of dissimilar characteristics it is extremely difficult to obtain a ompletely uniform blend, the present invention gives rise to a blend of an unusually high degree o'f uniformity. This characteristic is largely due to the fact that considerable preliminary commingling of the elements of the finished product takes place prior to the actual blending operation. Being of artiiicial origin, several threads may, for instance,

be spun simultaneously, diiferent physical char-l acteristics being introduced into the different threads in the course of the spinning operation. Thereafter, even if possessed of like characteristics following the spinning step, the several threads may be subjected lto processing treatments capable of altering certain of them. In any event, the.threads may be reduced to bers of Vstaple length by an operation which facilitates later blending, such operation substantially modifying the original relationship of the threads. An attribute of the process is the facility with which the combination of the component threads may be varied to produce dierent products. The appearance of the nished product may be altered by simply controlling the number of threadsto which fibers of staple length must be veryl carefully combined and blended in anA attempt to produce a desired product, it is 'frequently impossible to arrive twice at the same result except by cu'. and try methods. Unlike processes heretofore employed, the invention makes it possible to reproduce products previously manufactured.

In the practice of the present invention, nothing paratus shown in Figure 1 is broken away to' reveal the details of the blending apparatus. Figure 2 is a plan of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1.

Broadly speaking, the apparatus shown in Figures l and 2 is generally similar to but not identical with that shown, described and claimed in Kline et al. Patent 2,233,418. It consists for the most part of a frame structure providing two operating faces extending lengthwise of the apparatus as a. whole each of which consists of two superposed processing units. Each processing unit includes, in addition to a coagulating trough, a series of thread-manipulatingy devices by means of which a multiple lament thread bundle is subjected to processing treatment.. The thread bundles from the several processing units pass in sequence to means for aggregating them to form a large but preferably open thread bundle, means for reducing to fibers of staple length the large thread bundle so formed, a drying chamber, and

- finally picking and blending means.

For the sake of simplicity, the apparatus, although capable of being used in the manufacture of products of various kinds, will be described as employed in the manufacture of products-made by the viscose process. In such case, viscose used for spinning purposes is supplied to the machine from suitable storage facilities (not shown) by means of supply pipes 5. Pumps 6, to which supplypipes 5 are connected, serve to force the viscose through pipes l into mass tubes 8. Through each mass tube 8 the viscose passes to the corresponding spinneret 9, by means of which it is extruded into a coagulating bath l0 in trough ll to forma thread |3a comprising a plurality of ne filaments.

In each processing unit, several threads I3a,

all of which are formed in like fashion by similar spinnerets 9, pass through or over a gathering guide I4 by means'of which they are combined to form thread bundle I3b. The latter proceeds from one to another of a series of thread-advancing thread store devices which may advantageously take the form of. thread-advancing reels I5, I5a, I5b, I5c, |56, etc., upon which various processing operations are performed upon the thread bundle. Such thread-advancing reels, which operate on the principle described in Knebusch Patent 2,210,914, will be referred to hereinafter simply as reels."

Reels I5, |50., I5b, I5c and ld, ve in number, provide for the storage of the thread bundle I 3b during processing. 'Iypical processing stages include a holding stage followed in turn by a stage involvingtreatment with dilute acid, a washing stage, a desulfurizing stage, and a second washingv stage. Additional reels may, if desired, be provided for the storage of the thread While it is being subjected to bleaching, oiling, additional washing and other like operations, depending upon the character of the desired product.

The supporting structure on which are mounted the reels of each processing unit comprises a plurality of vertical supports I8 between which are disposed longitudinally extending horizontal members II and cross members I8. On horizontal frame members I1 are mounted reel bearing brackets I9 through which extend reel shafts 20. Reels I5, I5a, I5b, I5c, I5d, etc., are so arranged that the unsupported end of each is in opposite relation to the supported-end of the succeeding reel, whereby bundle I3b is enabled to pass from one to another of the reels without interruption.

Each reel shaft is provided with a gear 22 which meshes with a gear 23 mounted on longitudinally extending drive shaft 24, one such drive shaft 24 being provided for each processing unit. A power source such, for example, as motor 25, is disposed at gne end of the assembly. It actuates one of the lowermost drive shafts 24 by means of chain drive 28. Power for driving shafts 24 of adjacent processing units may advantageously be transmitted thereto by means of sets of intermeshing spur gears 21, 28 and chain drive 29. Each processing unit isv provided with suitable clutch means 30 to control its operation.

Associated with each of the reels other thanv reel I5 is a collecting trough 32. It comprises a top portion 33, vertically extending sides 34, and

bottom portion 35. Mounted upon one of the sides 34 of collecting trough 32 adjacent the supported end of reel yI5a is alead-on guide 36 by means of which thread bundle I3b is led to the supported end of said reel from reel I5. -On the opposite side 34 of collecting trough 32 and adjacent the unsupported end of reel I5a is located take-ofi guide 3,1 which is employed to direct bundle I3b from the unsupported end of reel I5a to lead-on guide 36 associated with the succeeding rcel.

Processing liquids for use in the apparatus are kept in suitable reservoirs (not shown). The appropriate processing liquid is led from such reservoir to the proper processing stage by means ofv supply pipe 38 to which is connected a distributor 39 which showers the liquor upon thread bundle I3b. An amount of liquid .preferably slightly in excess of that required for the actual processing of thread bundle I3b is furnished by supply pipes 38. 'I'he processing liquid following its application to thread bundle I3b by distributor 39 drips off into collecting trough 32 disposed below each reel. The spent liquor is drained therefrom by means of drain pipe 42 after which it is either rejected or returned to the reservoir for re-use.

On the completion of the required processing steps, the thread bundlesl3b leave.the last reels of their respective processing units, in this case reels I5d, after which they are more or less loosely aggregated by means of a guide 43 so as to form a large thread bundle I3c. The identity of the individual thread bundles I3b is preferably maintained in such large thread bundle in order to facilitate reduction of the filaments to fibers. A guide having separate slots for each thread bundie I3b; i. e., a comb guide, may conveniently be employed for this purpose; however, a combining guide giving rise to a consolidated rather than an open thread bundle may, if desired, be used instead. In the drawing, thread bundle I3c is of of the latter type; i. e., loosely aggregated.

For the purpose of reducing it to fibers of staple length, the large thread bundle so formed is subjected to a cutting operation The cutting apparatus employed to this end is l,similar to that shown, described and claimed in Jordan Patent 2,201,180. By means of this apparatus, thread bundle I3c may be cut into chips of predetermined length, such chips being in the preferred embodiment of the invention of relatively small cross-sectional area. If a consolidated rather than an open thread bundle were to be formed by guide 43, the chips would naturally be relatively large.

The cutting unit comprises a base 45 on which is mounted a cutter 46. After passing through squeeze rolls 44, thread'bundle I3c enters a guide tube 41 into which a stream of air can be directed if required to facilitate threading-up operations. On 'leaving guide tube 4l, thread bundle I3c enters another guide tube 48 which directs it to feed rolls 49. \A second comb guide may, if desired, be placed between guide tube 48 and feed rolls 49'; however, in the apparatus shown no guide is employed at this point. Immediately after leaving feed rolls 49 thread bundle I3c proceeds to cutter housing 50.

Chips 52, formed by the cutting operation, drop onto a conveyor belt 53a of wire mesh fabric which passes around a pulley 54 suspended from cutter base 45 by means of a bracket 55. Belt 53a is the flrst of a series of several belts disposed ln dryer 56. By means of such belts, chips y 52 pass through dryer 56 at a speed such that before reaching the discharge end of said dryer they are completely dried. At the discharge end of conveyor belt 53e but withindryer 58 are disposed picking and blending means 51.

Chips 5,2, entering picking and blending means 51 by means of opening 53, come into immediate contact with feeder strippers 59, off which they are picked by breast cylinder 60. From breast cylinder 60 the worker rolls 62 and stripper rolls 63 pick .oii the fibers to continue the picking and blending process. Upon the completion of this operation, the blended fibers are discharged through outlet 64. Such fibers are ready to be spun into thread. l

Apparatus of the type hereinabove described may be employed in the practice of the present invention by using two or more spinning solutions containing substances capable of developing diverse physical characteristics in the respective thread bundles I3b. 'It is equally possible in the case of the illustrated apparatus to spin a plurality of identical thread bundles I3b from the same spinning solution, subjecting them during a single color.

2,341,842 y processing to the action of' dierent' treating media to the end that the thread bundles will have dissimilar physical characteristics. Thus the invention involves at least two general modes of operation, the result in each case being an improved nal product.

'I'he first-mentioned phase of the invention embraces the addition to the respective spinning solutions of delusterants,pigment colarants, vat dyestuffs or the like. Novel effects may be produced in the ultimate product by combining'ilbers of low luster spun from pigment-delustered solutions with bright fibers formed from ordinary lustrous spinning solutions. Similarly, a diversity of color combinations may be obtained byemploying two or more spinning solutions to each of which-has been added a different colorant. Obviously. these same factors may bev employed simultaneously to give 4rise, for example, to combinations of colored lustrous fibers with uncolored delustered bers, etc.

A unique result obtainable by this phase of the invention follows from the use of two spinning solutions each of which is colored with a different primary color. In such case, the nished staple :liber produced by combining component bers of `the two colors has the appearance of When, for example, two diiferent spinning solutions respectively colored blue and yellow are employed,the color of the ultimate product is neither blue nor Iyellow but a distinct green. Despite the presence of the two primary colors in different iibers at the same time, the product as a whole has a monochromatic appearance.

The same result may be brought about by the use of' any number of other primary colors which, when thoroughly blended, are virtually indistinguishable except upon close inspection, thus giving the product the appearance of a single secondary color.Y

Similarly, a color tint may be produced by combining ibers cut from colored thread bundles with. bers cut from thread bundles produced from uncolored spinning solutions. If, for instance, fibers spun from a spinning solution containing a blue colorant are combined in proper proportions with fibers spun from an uncolored solution, a shade of blue will be produced which is lighter in appearance than the original blue.

e suits in a uniform intermingllngof the iibers lending itself to the production of novel eiects when the product is ultimately spun into yarn. The commingling of straight and curly iibers, for instance, gives rise to such an effect. Substantially the same novel results that have already been described in connection with the iirst phase of the invention may also be obtained by means of colors applied externally to thread bundles.

For example, the yprocess of blending ibers of two primary colors to form a product of a single secondary color may be accomplished by the application of twoor more dyestufs to the thread bundles. In such case, the thread bundles to be dyed are subjected to the action of dyestuiis applied by means of distributors 39. Although continuously advanced along the respective reels, the thread bundles remain on the reels long enough to become fully dyed before passing to succeeding reels. After the dyeing operation, the dyed thread bundles are joined, reduced to fibers of staple length, dried, and blended as before.

A wide variety of novel eects may be produced by the practice of the present invention. As previously indicated, the inventive concept is equally applicable to products manufactured according to any of the well-known processes, whether it be the casein, cellulose acetate, nitrocellulose, cuprammonium or viscose process; in fact, according to any process by which two or more multiple iilament thread bundles may be produced simultaneously. I-t is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of manufacturing from artificial silk thread staple liber adapted to be spun into 4 a novel yarn comprising the steps of simultane- In the same way, black bers combined with bers spun from uncolored spinning solutions will appear gray upon blending.. However, under certain conditions, especially when colors of equal brilliance are used, blended staple fiber of relatively high lament titer may nevertheless present a heterochromatic appearance.

According to the second phase of the invention, two or more like thread bundles are spun in the usual way but are `subjected during processing to different operations which serve to alter the physical characteristics of one or more, but not all, of the thread bundles. The application to the thread bundles of media designed to produce such efects as modiiied color, diminished luster,

increased curliness, etc., is within the purview of this phase of the invention. One or several such operations may readily be accomplished by providing the appropriate number of reels in the series or, if desired, by employing two or more distributors 39 at existing positions in each series.

As has already been indicated, loosely aggregating several dissimilar thread bundles, cutting the resulting large thread bundle into chips, and

' subjecting the chips to a blending operation reously producing` a plurality of articial silk threads of like origin and of substantially continuous length at least one of which is characterized by a uniform color throughout its length which differs from that of the remaining threads; joining said threads -to form a single composite threadbundle; reducing the thread bundle to fibers of staple length; and blending the resulting bers in such fashion thatthe individual colors cooperate to produce a novel eect.

2. The method of manufacturing `from artificial silk thread of substantially continuous length staple liber adapted to be spun into a novel yarn comprising the steps of preparing a plurality of like spinning solutions at least one of which contains a substance capable Vof developing a color in the thread produced therefrom; simultaneously extruding each of said spinning solutions from a separate spinneret into a common coagulant, thereby foaming a'number of threads of like origin and of dierent colors; joiningsaid threads to form a'single composite thread bundle; reducing the -thread bundle to iibers of staple length; and blending the resulting iibers in such fashion that the different colors thereof cooperate to produce a heterochromatic effect. y

3. The method of manufacturing from artificial silk thread of substantially continuous one of said threads will acquire a color which differs from that of each of the remaining threads; joining said threads to form a single composite thread bundle; reducing the thread bundle to bers of staple length; and blending the resulting fibers in such fashion that the different colors thereof cooperate to produce a heterochromatic effect.

4. A method of manufacturing from artificial silk thread of `substantially continuous length staple ber adapted to be spun into polychro matic yarn characterized by a monochromatic appearance comprising the steps of preparing a plurality of like spinning solutions each of which contains a substance capable of developing a different color; simultaneously extruding each of said spinning solutions from a separate spinneret linto a common coagulant, thereby forming a the substance added to the spinning solution is one of a class of pigment colorants.

6., The method according to claim 2 in which the substance added to each of the several spinninglsolntions-is one of a class of leuco base 7"?1he method according to claim 2 in which thel ubstance added to the spinning solution is a vatdve.

. l8. The method according to claim 3 in which a vat dye is applied to each of the several threads l0 during the processing treatment. p

9. The method of manufacturing from artificial silk thread of substantially continuous length staple fiber adapted to be spun into a polychromatic yarn characterized by a monois chromatic appearance comprising the steps of simultaneously forming by an extrusion process a, plurality of threads of like origin and of at least two different colors; subjecting said threads individually to each of a series of processing 20 treatments; joining said threads to form a single multi-colored thread bundle; cutting the thread bundle to bers of staple length; drying the resulting staples and blending the 4 saine in such fashion that the individual colors are virtually 25 indistinguishable whereby the products have the appearance of a single color. i

.LOUIS S. FRYER. 

